Google may be looking to end their involvement with robots and artificial intelligence, but that’s hardly stopping Amazon. The e-commerce more retailer recently held a top secret conference for robot experts and space explorers. There were even lightsabers involved.
SECRET MEETING WITH SPACE EXPLORERS AND LIGHTSABERS
This past week, in the lovely town of Palm Springs, California, a top secret meeting took place. This invite-only conference included experts in artificial intelligence, robotics and space exploration. Amongst this group was representatives from MIT, University of California at Berkeley, Toyota Motor Corp and Rethink Robotics. Not much was known about the discussion, but Bloomberg has reported a lightsaber battle of sorts was involved. That’s right, the artificial intelligence gathering featured some robots wielding light sabers as they dueled each other. Even director Ron Howard showed up for it.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THE FUTURE OF AMAZON
Besides being an entertaining robotic circle jerk of the world’s greatest tech minds, the conference told us something else about Amazon. They already count on artificial intelligence and robotics in their daily operations but they are looking to expand. At the moment, Amazon has 30,000 robots throughout their warehouses. As the retailer continues their massive growth, more artificial intelligence will be needed. In fact, it’s not unlikely that humans will completely cease to exist in their fulfilment centers. Amazon says humans will be a vital part of their operation for a long time to come, but they could easily just be saying that.
ROBOTIC GALACTIC SMUGGLERS TO BE NEXT
Is it any coincidence that a company known for their retail and shipping is meeting with space experts in regards to artificial intelligence? Anyone who has seen Star Wars knows that intergalactic smuggling is a big trade in the universe. Eventually, Amazon operations will grow too big for Earth and they will need to expand their outreach. With an army of drones, they will take to space, smuggling valuable goods to other star systems. Space smuggling is far too dangerous for humans so their interest in robots to do the dirty work now makes perfect sense. In fact, so does the lightsaber battle taking place at the conference. My God. They are training an army of lightsaber-wielding robot smugglers.
